What are you up to this weekend? I’m planning on watching football (well, maybe more like reading while watching football) and trying out a new coffee place, plus enjoying some time outside in this beautiful weather we’re anticipating here.
I hope you have something to look forward to these next few days, and that this collection of interesting reads and favorite things helps ease you into that weekend frame of mind.
New merch + Fall Book Preview is coming
Our seventh annual Fall Book Preview is around the corner! Join us for the live, 90ish minute Unboxing event on September 18 at 8:00 pm EDT. I’ll share 35 noteworthy titles publishing between the end of August and year’s end. Expect to hear about books I’ve read and LOVED, books I can’t wait to read, and books the industry is especially excited about this fall. Our accompanying 12-page digital PDF booklet lays out every title in our preview, with more features to help you make the most of your fall reading life. Plus, we’re again offering the printed booklet for anyone who wants to have a copy in hand.
We also have new merch! Check out our beautiful Ampersand Leuchtturm journals in four different colors (pictured above) and a pencil pack with some of our favorite sayings, like “I’d rather be reading.” We’ve also got great tees, stickers, signed books, and more: check out all our good stuff here.
My favorite finds from around the web:
I offer gift links for articles whenever possible (you may still need to create an account with the publication); if there’s no gift link and you’re not a subscriber, check to see if your library carries the publication or use a bookmarking service.
Charlie Jane Anders on How A.S. Byatt’s Possession Paved the Way for Dark Academia. (Literary Hub) “Possession is the novel that shaped the way I (and many other writers I know) think about how to write a story of academic pursuits.” It seems like I’m seeing Possession everywhere lately and I’m here for it.
20 easy and delicious go-to weeknight dinner recipes that count among our family’s greatest hits. (MMD)
How Book of the Month club survived 100 years of a turbulent publishing industry. (Fast Company) “Book of the Month’s most devoted members are college-educated women in their early to late twenties, who read one or more books a month. Orlandi says that this age is the sweet spot when people are no longer reading for school, but don’t yet have kids.”
Inside the Messy World of Junk Journaling. (New York Times gift link) “One woman’s junk becomes another’s journal entry.” We talked about this practice not long ago at our “How to Keep a Commonplace Book” class in MMD Book Club.
How Parents Hijacked the College Dorm. (The Atlantic gift link) “Gone are the days when most students pieced together secondhand finds from the side of the road and parents’ basements, or lived in more spartan spaces. The era of peak dorm decor is here.” It’s just been a few weeks since I moved my third child into her dorm and I feel this.
Speaking of college life: I baked up a batch of Melissa Clark’s Classic Oatmeal-Raisin Cookies to my college freshman this week—but this time I riffed on the classic and made cherry-chocolate cookies instead. Delicious! (NYT Cooking gift link) UPDATE: Many of you have asked for more details on my chocolate cherry version: instead of 225g/1.5 cups raisins, I subbed in 150g chopped Trader Joe’s dried sweet cherries, and 75g chocolate chips or chopped chocolate (I used 60% dark because that’s all I had on hand, but any sort of chocolate would be wonderful).
8 wonderful books for Word Nerds. (MMD) Let’s hear it for word nerdery!
Who Killed the Narrative Podcast? (Rolling Stone) “Most narrative shows shared a style — they were told through the perspective of a single reporter-host, who not only guided a listener through a story but invited them along on the reporting journey. Now, these shows seem increasingly like an artifact of history.”
I’ve been looking forward to the Liberty Beauty Advent Calendar 2025: now it’s here but those tariffs, ouch! Anthropologie’s 24 Days of Beauty Advent Calendar might be more my speed this year (and it’s less than a hundred bucks). I haven’t tried it yet but I’ve heard great things and the reviews are fantastic.
An Epic List of All* of Fall’s New Cookbooks. (Cookbookery Collective) Any you’re looking forward to?
Inside the World of “The Great British Bake Off.” (The New Yorker) “No show does so much to hide its true nature: namely, that it is a competition people desperately want to win. This is the essential hypocrisy of Bake Off, and it remains the most British thing about it.” Season 4’s Ruby Tandoh offers a lovely and fascinating look behind the scenes of the popular show.
It’s Glitchy. It’s Mean. It’s a Mess. It’s My Favorite Website on the Internet. (Slate) “Being on Goodreads feels like belonging to a massive, asynchronous book club made up of roughly 150 million friends—plus Roxane Gay, Lucy Dacus, and possibly Luigi Mangione. Sure, some of those friends have really bad opinions, but that’s how real-world book clubs work, too.”
14 Ways I’m Channeling Back-to-School Vibes as an Adult. (The Everygirl) “Now, I like to treat the last few weeks of summer like I’m heading back to school and reset everything in my life.” I love this mentality.
Reflective nonfiction about finding your path. (What Should I Read Next?)
What It’s Like to Fly Bark Air, the First-in-Class Airline for Dogs (and Their People). (Vogue) The title says it all.
Don’t miss these posts:
20 MORE campus novels that will take you back to your school days. It’s the perfect time of year to pick up a campus novel or two.
10 of my favorite books to read over and over again. There are so many good reasons to revisit a favorite book.
15 super short audiobooks you can finish in four hours or less. If you’re testing the audiobook waters or looking for something quick to jazz up your reading life…
Have a great weekend!
15 comments
Where can I find the recipe for cherry-chocolate cookies?
I just updated the original post with my substitutions, but this is what I did: instead of 225g/1.5 cups raisins, I subbed in 150g chopped Trader Joe’s dried sweet cherries, and 75g chocolate chips or chopped chocolate (I used 60% dark because that’s what I had on hand). The original oatmeal raisin are also great but I was hankering for something with chocolate and this tweaked version delivered!
Hi Anne, did you delete the ginger/cardamom from the recipe with the cherries and chocolate or leave it in? Wondering how all those flavors go together….
I couldn’t decide so used a little of each. I don’t know what Melissa Clark would think of that approach but the final result was great!
A friend has sent me the L’Occitane advent calendar several times over the years and it is wonderful! I checked their website and it isn’t listed yet but I can recommend it.
Also, enjoyed the Slate article about Goodreads. I have to agree that it is still my go-to place to log what I’ve read, keep my TBR and check out reviews.
I’ve never tried that L’Occitane calendar—thanks for the info!
I was just planning to comment the same thing. My best friend sent me that one last year and it was amazing! I’m hoping she repeats the gift. (Fingers crossed)
I don’t see an increase due to tariffs to liberty advent. Hmm
It’s an extra $60.98; it gets added at checkout.
Here for the chocolate-cherry version of the oatmeal raisin recipe! Any chance you can share the substitutions?
Same- on the chocolate cherry cookies!
You got it! Instead of 225g/1.5 cups raisins, I subbed in 150g chopped Trader Joe’s dried sweet cherries, and 75g chocolate chips or chopped chocolate (I used 60% dark because that’s what I had on hand). I just updated the post with my substitutions for others who are interested—thanks for letting me know that might be appreciated!
I love when I get to randomly start looking at Beauty Advent calendars for my daughters in the fall errrr… late summer!
I tried to quit Goodreads but I also find that I just ,straight up, like its “jankya**” ways. I am trying to get used to Storygraph. I love so much about it but , I have so much history on GR! (Yes I know I can transfer my lists…)
One of the things that sent me back to Goodreads was the website version of the site. It’s easier to do mass updates and database-type things there, while still having the pared-down mobile app.
Anne- I want to thank you (and your team) for putting out this newsletter in particular- because i am aware of how challenging it is to find uplifting and neutral content in this media environment. A friend of mine is experiencing a difficult pregnancy and she told me she wants to be distracted from her spiraling thoughts- I committed to send her one solid distraction a day. Thank you because often I select something from your newsletter. – until today- She’s being induced!!
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